Baby goes to Washington

Texas families were in Washington to deliver a message to their members of Congress about the importance of access to medical care for children.

By Photos by Mary F. Calvert / For the Chronicle

on June 19, 2013 9:19 PM

Photo: Mary F. Calvert/For the Chronicle

Image 1of/8

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 8

Ashley Cardenas, holding daughter Audrina, 8 months old, greets Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) outside his office on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. Audrina was born with a rare and usually fatal congenital malformation known as ectopia cordis. One day after Audrina's birth, surgeons at Texas Children's Hospital saved her life during a six-hour, open heart surgery where they reconstructed her chest cavity to make space for the one-third of her heart that was outside of her body. Cardenas and her mother were in Washington to deliver a message to their members of Congress about the importance of access to medical care for children. less

Jamie Schanbaum, 24, who lost her legs to meningitus and Ashley Cardenas, holding daughter Audrina, 8 months old, talk to a staffer Laura Holland, right, at Sen. John Cornyn's (R-TX) office on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. less

Jamie Schanbaum, 24, who lost her legs to meningitus and Ashley Cardenas, holding daughter Audrina, 8 months old, talk to a staffer Laura Holland, right, at Sen. John Cornyn's (R-TX) office on Capitol Hill in ... more

Photo: Mary F. Calvert, For The Chronicle

Jamie Schanbaum, 24, who lost her legs to meningitus and Ashley... Photo-4809854.64892 - Houston Chronicle

Image 4 of 8

Jamie Schanbaum, 24, who lost her legs to meningitus and Ashley Cardenas, holding daughter Audrina, 8 months old, have their picture taken outside Sen. John Cornyn's (R-TX) office on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. less

Jamie Schanbaum, 24, who lost her legs to meningitus and Ashley Cardenas, holding daughter Audrina, 8 months old, have their picture taken outside Sen. John Cornyn's (R-TX) office on Capitol Hill in Washington ... more

Photo: Mary F. Calvert, For The Chronicle

Jamie Schanbaum, 24, who lost her legs to meningitus and Ashley... Photo-4809856.64892 - Houston Chronicle

Jamie Schanbaum, 24, who lost her legs to meningitus poses next to a photograph of her on display at the Russell Senate Office Building rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. She was treated at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. less

Jamie Schanbaum, 24, who lost her legs to meningitus poses next to a photograph of her on display at the Russell Senate Office Building rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. She was treated at Texas ... more

Photo: Mary F. Calvert, For The Chronicle

Jamie Schanbaum, 24, who lost her legs to meningitus poses next to... Photo-4809863.64892 - Houston Chronicle